The American College of Pediatricians has issued a strong condemnation of the recent decisions by lawmakers in Iowa and Vermont to enact same-sex marriage laws.

Changing the definition of marriage to include the pairing of someone other than one man and one woman hurts children, according to pediatricians.

From the statement issued by the The American College of Pediatricians:

Children's rights have suffered a severe blow in the last week. Iowa and Vermont became the third and fourth states to redefine marriage and in so doing has jeopardized every child's right to be nurtured by a mother and a father.

Of particular concern, the Iowa Supreme Court defended its decision with the brazen statement that, "The traditional notion that children need a mother and a father to be raised into healthy, well-adjusted adults is based more on stereotype than anything else."

This is categorically false.

Over three decades of social science research confirms and reconfirms that men and women parent differently, and that children thrive best across all areas of development when reared by their biologic mother and father in a low-conflict marriage.

Read the full statement at the link below:

American College of Pediatricians: Another Blow to Children's Rights